Here and There

Scott and Jackie's Travels – Thousand Trails Reviews, Campground Reviews, Fulltime RVing, European Travel

Tag: Colorado

Shortstop: La Mesa RV Park, Cortez, CO

grscott

The drive north from Albuquerque to Cortez, CO takes one through many miles of open, scenic country. We enjoyed the drive – at least until we got into some road construction between Bloomfield and Farmington that slowed us down considerably. In Farmington we made the mistake of deciding to take a break from the road and take advantage of the large Walmart there to do some grocery shopping. The reason it was a mistake is that as we moved into the afternoon the wind picked up speed and by the time we turned due north from Shiprock to Cortez we were headed directly into a 30-35 mph headwind. That portion of road is rough and mostly uphill. Adding significant wind wasn’t much fun. I really wished I had that hour we spent at Farmington back!

As you can guess, then, we were happy to arrive at La Mesa R.V. Park in Cortez, CO. The lady who checked us in was friendly and efficient and we were soon happy to be parked in a nice wide and level pull through gravel spot for a couple of nights.

We pretty much took shelter for the evening as the winds continued to blow and the temperatures continued to drop. Both nights of our stay in Cortez saw temperatures drop below freezing – not unheard off, but unseasonably cold.

You might say that this park is “handy.” The Walmart we should have bought our groceries in is a couple of minutes down the street. There are many restaurants and other businesses quite nearby. There are lots of scenic and historical places nearby but the biggie is Mesa Verde National Park – the entrance is just nine miles to the east.

2014 – Adventure Mesa Verde

Jackie Cundiff

Visiting Mesa Verde was fun and brought back memories of 20 years ago when Scott and I first visited here. There is a new visitor’s center that is very nice. As you walk to the desk to purchase tour tickets you can see the 3 major tours and how many ladders are required for you to climb to see them. There are dioramas and archaeological exhibits and a bookstore. We chose to visit Cliff Palace, a one hour guided tour.

fter driving 20 miles up a winding climbing road we met our tour group. To get into and out of the dwelling we climbed four vertical ladders. One going in, one while in the dwelling, and 2 going out of the dwelling. As we walked though the ruins we learned a little of the history of the Ancestral Pueblo people who lived here, how they lived, and suggestions as to why they left.

After the tour and after needing some time to catch our breath we drove to the Chapin Mesa Archaeological Museum area. There’s a video telling the story of the Ancestral Pueblo People and many items found while the ruins were being uncovered and documented across the years. There is also a gift shop. Near the museum there is a very nice view of the Spruce Tree House. This cliff dwelling can also be visited. It is a free, self guided walk that is 1/2 mile down a winding, paved trail that has a 100-foot decent/ascent.

As we were driving back the 20 miles to the highway we stopped at Park Point Overlook which is at an altitude of 8,572 feet. We walked up the winding path to the fire lookout. There’s a wonderful view of the surrounding countryside. We especially liked seeing Shiprock Mountain in New Mexico off in the distance.

Overall it was a strenuous day due to the altitude and ladder climbing but was fun and well worth the time and effort.

Park Review: Marys Lake, Estes Park, CO

grscott

Like most RV’ers I prefer open ended camping destinations.  However, during busy periods I know that I might end up out of luck so I compromise and make advance reservations when I’m headed for a popular spot or going to be out over a holiday weekend.

This is the case with our time in Estes Park, CO – the busiest time (July 4 weekend) in a very popular area.  This year the county has purchased an older RV park, Mary’s Lake at Estes Park, turning it into a county park.  As a commercial park, this one got poor reviews, however, the county has taken it over and it’s now a work in progress.